


Sunsets

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: All American Season 1 [2]
Category: All American (TV)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Episode s01e03 Coda, F/M, Introspection, Light Angst, pov olivia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 08:23:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16404791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Olivia reflects on her talk with Asher in the cafe





	Sunsets

Olivia stares out across the skyline in front of her. The sun is just starting to set, and the sky is slowly changing colors. It’s one of Olivia’s favorite times of day. Though she hasn’t taken the time to really appreciate the sunset in a while. Lately she’s just been happy to wake up and see the sun has risen and she’s still here.

She had a lot of time to think while in rehab, both about what she’s done wrong and what she’s grateful for. It’s hard when some of those things fall into the same category. When the things you’re trying to run from are the same things you want to run towards and hold onto. It’s not fair. None of it is.

It’s hard as hell being back here. In rehab it had been easy. There was never the temptation or the reminder of what had driven her to start using in the first place. But out here… it’s as if she can’t escape it, no matter how hard she tries. And boy does she try. But sometimes she doesn’t have a choice.

***

_Olivia looks up when the door to the shop opens, and Asher strides in along with JJ. She can’t help the flare of anger and worry she feels when he insists on them all working together. Things were going alright with Layla, and now she’s having to sit across from them, and have the reminder of why her and Layla are so distant right there in front of her._

_“I know what you’re doing,” she says, once they’re left alone._

_Asher looks up from his computer with a hint of a smirk, “Trying not to fail English?”_

_“This isn't funny,” Olivia tells him, keeping her voice low. “I already agreed to keep our stupid hook up a secret, okay? Your perfect boyfriend cover stays intact, happy?”_

_Asher puts his laptop down and moves until he’s closer to her, looking around the room to make sure no one is listening. “This isn't about covering my ass, okay? It's about not destroying the lives of the three people I care about the most. Layla would be devastated and Jordan would hate me for involving you–”_

_“And let me guess,” Olivia says, cutting in. “The third person is you?”_

_“Actually it’s you.” Asher says, surprising her. “I'm serious. You had a rough ride last year and you're kinda turning things around. I don't want to mess that up for you.”_

***

She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. This isn’t what she should be thinking about right now. Not when she’s finally starting to get back to a good place with Layla again. She’s lucky Layla even wants anything to do with her after the way she’s been treating her. But Layla has always been the most forgiving of them all. Though Olivia doubts she’d be all that forgiving if she found out about her best friend and boyfriend. Or maybe she would be. That would probably be worse.

“I see you still like sunsets.”

Olivia closes her eyes at the sound of the voice. She hates that it can still have an effect on her, even now. She only opens them after she’s taken a few calming breaths, but still doesn’t turn to face him as she speaks. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re all here hanging out,” Asher says, moving to lean next to get on the rail. “Team bonding. Mending fences and all that.”

“You don’t seem to be mending many fences since you’re hiding out here,” Olivia says, glancing at him.

He’s looking straight ahead, his eyes trained on the sky. Olivia is surprised to see how tired he looks. Not the normal tired that comes from a lot of training that she often sees on Jordan. This is different.

“There are more important fences I need to mend,” Asher says, turning to meet her eyes. Olivia has to fight the urge to look away.

“Some you can’t mend all that easily, Ash.”

Asher shrugs, “If it’s important it’s worth the wait. And this is important.”

“Maybe to you,” Olivia says, turning away again. She can’t stand to see the look on Asher’s face. It’s not that she enjoys hurting him, but it’s easier to push him away than to risk getting close to him again.

“Bullshit,” Asher says, “I know you care, Olivia. About Layla, and your friends, maybe even about me. You’re just too afraid to admit it.”

Olivia glares at him, “Don’t for one second think you know what I’m afraid of. You have no idea. You don’t know what it’s like to care about someone and have to let them go.”

“Really?” Asher asks, taking a step close to her. Olivia can see how angry he is. “You think I don’t know? How about having to let you go? Do you think that was easy for me? I already told you that you’re one of the few people I care about, and I meant it. You’re important to me.”

“Asher…”

Asher takes a step back and shakes his head, “You know what? Save it. You have so many people here that care about you, Liv. But you just won’t let them in. Instead you’re pushing us away because you’re scared. And that’s not fair.”

This time Asher is the one to walk away. Olivia lets him go. He’d come out here to try and fix things and she’d found a way to make them worse. She tells herself it’s for the best, but that’s not enough to stop the ache from building in her chest.


End file.
